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Core Natural Resources Reports Fourth Quarter 2024 Results

In This Article:

Adopts new capital return framework heavily weighted toward share repurchases

Announces board authorization of $1 billion for share repurchases

Takes steps in first five weeks to lock in one-third of projected synergies

Resumes development work with continuous miner units at Leer South mine

CANONSBURG, Pa., Feb. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Core Natural Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CNR) reported financial and operating results for the period ended December 31, 2024.

Management Comments

"The Core team is off to an excellent start in integrating the combined operating, marketing and logistics portfolio into a cohesive, high-performing unit; capturing the substantial synergies created by this transformational merger; and laying the foundation for long-term value creation via the tight alignment of its global metallurgical and high calorific value thermal segments," said Paul A. Lang, Core's chief executive officer.

Shareholder Return Framework

"Core's board of directors recently adopted a capital return framework designed to reward shareholders for their strong, ongoing support," Lang said. "The centerpiece of this framework is the targeted return to shareholders of around 75 percent of free cash flow, with the significant majority of that return directed to share repurchases complemented by a sustaining quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share."

In strong support of this new framework, the board authorized a total of $1.0 billion in share repurchases.

Leer South Update

On January 15, 2025, Core announced that it was sealing Leer South's active longwall panel to extinguish isolated combustion-related activity there. Since that time, the Leer South team – in close collaboration with federal and state regulators – has safely re-entered the mine and resumed development work with continuous miner units. Additionally, the team has assessed – via the deployment of infrared cameras and other monitoring activities – that the mine's longwall equipment was largely unaffected by the event.

"On behalf of the board and the entire senior management team, I want to again commend the operations team as well as federal and state regulators for their exceptional work in managing this situation in a safe and efficient manner," Lang said. "The team's great efforts have placed us well on track to resume longwall production mid-year, in keeping with our originally indicated timeline."

Synergy Update

The Core team is sharply focused on driving forward with capturing the already identified $110 million to $140 million in synergies created by the combination. "In the five weeks since the merger's completion, the team has executed on strategies that are expected to yield approximately one third of that value – at the midpoint of guidance – via the streamlining of the operational and corporate structure, coal blending opportunities, and early progress in the procurement arena," Lang said. "Simultaneously, we are exploring additional avenues for value creation – via the sharing of best practices and the harnessing of the Core team's collective expertise and creativity – as we seek to ensure that Core delivers on its vast potential."